JAMSquared

I recently joined the Mothers of Young Children devotional group at SHPC. This spring, we’re discussing George Barna’s Revolutionary Parenting: What the Research Shows Really Works. I’m enjoying the conversations about spirituality. I am hoping my faith will grow.

The group was using the adhesive backed paper name tags. I offered to make long-term use name tags. I decided to make four different styles of name tags. That way if the fall group has new people, their new name tags won’t stick out. The tags are 4-inches by 3-inches and are placed in some horizontal badge ID holders I picked up at Office Max. I thought about stamping something on them also, but decided to go simple and just use patterned paper and bows to decorate. The bows are adhered on the outside of the badge holder.

All the Nametags

Style 1

Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Real Red
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Summer Picnic
Accessories: Stampin’ Up Certainly Celery twill ribbon
Tools/Techniques: Nestabilities Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large; bow embellishment

Style 2

Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Real Red, Cameo Coral
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Pink Flamingo
Accessories: red grosgrain ribbon
Tools/Techniques: Nestabilities Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large; bow embellishment

Style 3

Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Pawsistively Prints
Accessories: Stampin’ Up So Saffron grosgrain ribbon
Tools/Techniques: Nestabilities Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large; bow embellishment

Style 4

Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Enchante
Accessories: Stampin’ Up Certainly Celery twill ribbon
Tools/Techniques: Nestabilities Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large; bow embellishment

My parents have a great marriage. They show affection for one another. They talk with each other, not to each other (big difference). They even work together in their own accounting practice. I’d like to think that James and I have the kind of marriage they do. Happy 30th Anniversary Mom & Dad! Here’s to another 30 years.

Cutting the Cake at their Wedding Reception

Attending a Wedding in 2006

My sister, brother and I surprised them by going to Midland last weekend. We really got them good. Jason called them up and said he was planning to stop by on his way to Santa Fe for a work function, a total fib. He was the decoy to make sure they would be home. Sarah took care of finding a collage picture frame that she put photos of the grandkids in and I ordered a cake and some food for dinner Saturday night. Friday, Sarah and I coordinated arriving in Midland at about the same time. Jason arrived earlier and then went to visit a friend. We all met at a nearby parking lot so we could then arrive at the house at the same time. Jason knocked on the door. My Mom came to answer it and tell Jason she  had left it unlocked for him. When she opened the door, she kinda got this dumbfounded expression on her face. My Dad then walked up and he had the same expression. The surprise was a total success. Saturday night after the grandkids went to bed, we brought out the cake, which I had picked up earlier (I was impressed with how it turned out considering I ordered it over the phone), and the gift. I think we succeeded in making my parents feel pretty special.

The Happy Couple

Cake from HEB

Opening Card and Gift

Here’s the card I made for them. I used the previous Saturday’s Sketch for You to Try. It also meets the Hero Arts flower challenge.

Anniversary Card

Stamps: Hero Arts Clear Design May (images in 3 circles), Clear Design Number Seven (30 in exterior sentiment); Stampin’ Up Congrats, In My Thoughts (inside message), All-Year Cheer III (inside message)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Garden Green, So Saffron
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Prints Certainly Celery
Ink: Stampin’ Up Garden Green, Certainly Celery
Markers: Stampin’ Up Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Rose Red, Ballet Blue, So Saffron; atYou Spice Clear
Accessories: Stampin’ Up So Saffron grosgrain ribbon; dimensionals (center circle)
Tools: colored pencils; Stampin’ Up scallop border punch; Nestabilites Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large

I apparently can’t count and so I had extra little red pick-ups from making my Christmas cards. I decided to use them to make Valentines for our immediate family and a few friends. These cards are 3.5″ x 5.5″ in dimensions.

Valentine's Day 2010 Card

Stamps: Stampin’ Up Loads of Love
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Real Red
Ink: Stampin’ Up Pretty in Pink, Rose Red; Stazon Jet Black
Accessories: Stampin’ Up Pretty in Pink 3/8″ Taffeta ribbon; heart brad; dimensionals (tag)
Punches: Stampin’ Up Tag, Small Tag, Tag; Martha Stewart Sweet Hearts border and corner punch

We received a beautiful tri-shutter card from Diane when Jessica was born. I thought it was a really neat card and I wanted to make one sometime. I thought a Valentine’s Day card for James would be a good opportunity. I search Split Coast Stampers and found this tutorial for a tri-shutter card. I decided to watercolor the bear, which caused the cardstock to curl up, so to get it to lay flat, I ran it through my 5″ Xyron machine, cut it out and stuck to another piece of cardstock and cut it out again. I had a hard time deciding on the embellishments since this is a card for a guy, but I think even with the flowers and bow, it is still okay for a guy. I hope *fingers crossed*.

This card was initially made for the ATS Weekly Wednesday Challenge 16, but I misread the challenge and it didn’t meet the requirements. I’m not sure how I missed the part that it needed to be a Valentine package, not a card. However, Challenge 17 was to make a tri-fold card. Since I finished my card a day before the challenge came out, I’m not sure I technically qualify, but the card was made with an ATS challenge in mind, so I’m going to submit anyway.

Front of Tri-Fold Card

Stamps: Chubby Pencil Valentino; Stampin’ Up Wonderful Favorites, Tags So Much; Stamp Affair I Love You
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Taken with Teal, Pretty in Pink; DCWV textured brown scrapbook paper
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Loves MeInk: Stampin’ Up Basic Brown, Taken with Teal, Close to Cocoa
Ink Used to Watercolor: Stampin’ Up Real Red, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel
Accessories: Inkssentials Glossy Accents (bear nose and eyes and heart bubble); Hobby Lobby pink Valentine’s ribbon; Stampin’ Up Pretty in Pink brad; Maya Road velvet blossoms; glittered teal brad; Stampin’ Up Pretty in Pink 3/8″ Tafetta ribbon
Tools: aquabrush; Xyron 5″
Punches: Stampin’ Up Tag, Small Tag, Ticket Corner; Marvy Uchida Mega Heart, Giga Scallop Heart

Side View

Whole View

Today is my father’s birthday. I am very much a daddy’s girl. I was looking through my pictures to find some showing the two of us. It is sad, but I didn’t find many. It’s probably because for most of my pictures, I’m the photographer. This one was taken by my sister when we had a family trip to South Padre Island last May.

Jennifer and John at the Port Isabel Lighthouse

My dad is also quite the shutterbug. My parents scanned a number of pictures of me when I was a baby (since I’m going to post a comparison of Jessica to her mommy and daddy soon), and there weren’t many of my Dad and I, since most of them were taken by my Dad. Doesn’t my Dad look young? He was 25 when I was born. Looking at him in this picture, I actually see a lot of my brother who is currently 26.

John and baby Jennifer

Here is the card I made for him. I used the Mojo Monday 124 sketch. I think it turned out pretty cute.

Hoppy Birthday

Stamps: Stampin’ Up Unfrogettable
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise
Ink: Stampin’ Up Wild Wasabi, Pacific Point
Accessories: Stampin’ Up 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon Temptin Turquoise, 1/2″ striped grosgrain ribbon Wild Wasabi; Inkssentials Glossy Accents (snail shell)
Tools: colored pencils; Stampin’ Up 1 3/8″ circle and scallop circle punches; Cuttlebug Argyle embossing folder